Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate in general to biopsy devices, and more particularly to handheld biopsy devices.
Background
Biopsy needle devices with handpieces containing an actuating apparatus which activates the motion of a biopsy needle are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. RE38,776 to Bauer discloses a biopsy surgical appliance comprises a biopsy needle having a stylet and a cannula, disposed coaxially along an axis and activated by a mechanical device with two slides which can slide longitudinally inside a shell. The first slide of the two slides has a “U” shape with tines oriented longitudinally and is moved longitudinally in a first operative environment, in which the central section of the “U” shape supports one component of two components which constitute the biopsy needle. The second slide of the two slides has a head which extends towards and beyond the axis without interfering with the first operative environment and is inserted freely between the tines of the first slide, and in which the head supports the other component of the two components which constitute the biopsy needs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,489 to Bauer discloses a biopsy surgical appliance includes a stylet slider sliding in a longitudinal plane and placed laterally with respect to a longitudinal axis, a cannula slider sliding in a longitudinal plan placed laterally with respect to the axis of a needle and not interfering in the operative framework of stylet slider, holding/releasing device made up of a first independent hooking/releasing device for stylet slider, a second independent hooking/releasing device for cannula slider, two independent single control push-buttons of which the first one acts on the first hooking/releasing device and the second one is of the progressive type and acts in progression on said first hooking/releasing device at the first device if it has not been released yet and then on the second hooking/releasing device.
Biopsy needle devices having vacuums to assist is obtaining a sample are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,822 to Burbank et al. discloses a method and device for the automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue having a piercing needle with a receiving port to trap tissue prior to cutting. A motor drive directs and positions the tissue receiving port at a lesion site in arbitrary positions about and along the longitudinal axis of the device. A cutter advances into the receiving chamber and severs tissue which has prolapsed into the receiving port. The severed tissue is then removed from the receiving port without removing the piercing needle receiving port from the lesion site. A tissue sample cassette provides storage for the samples as well as a means for coding and decoding the location from which the samples were obtained. After the piercing needle has been positioned within the tissue, when it is desired to obtain a tissue sample, a control unit actuates a vacuum source which is applied to a vacuum connection of the device, thereby generating a region of low pressure within the piercing, needle. The low pressure created by the vacuum source facilitates the prolapse of tissue into the piercing needle.
However, U.S. Pat. Nos. RE38,776 and 5,951,489, while being compact handheld devices capable of obtaining a precise sample with a smaller, less invasive needle, there is no vacuum assistance. These devices often do not collect a sufficient amount of tissue. While U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,822 includes vacuum assistance, the device is cumbersome and requires a relatively large needle to allow the vacuum to operate. Thus, there remains a need for a handheld biopsy device with a smaller, less invasive needle, having vacuum assistance to obtain a tissue sample.